Tags: Horse Race, Race.
The Empire Classic Handicap is a Thoroughbred horse race restricted to New York breds run at Belmont Park in Elmont New York. Set at a distance of one and one eighth miles on the dirt this ungraded stakes race is open to three-year-olds and up and offers a purse of $250000. Inaugurated in 1976 as the Empire Stakes the Empire Classic (renamed in 1994) ran as a six furlong event for two-year-olds from 1976 to 1988 and from 1990 to 1993.